The Rift Bearer

As the portal closes behind her, Aimi looks at Tenki. His eyes never look her way, the last that could cause her conviction to waver disappears as the portal closes.

“Commander, what do we do?” The soldier closes to her said.

“Prepare. Should they attack then we will use everything. Contact the armed forces, tell them of what is to come and that AMDO is requesting their aid.”

“Should it not be you to ask?”

“No.” Aimi looks to her AMDO soldiers, “The firepower we have would only work to slow them down. I will bring to you what will aid us in defeating them, and saving our world. I see the fear in your eyes, and I understand your doubts after what you have seen. Trust in me.” Aimi opens a portal, “I will protect this world.”

Aimi lands at the village Tenki brought her to.

“Is nothing by chance here?”

The mayor of the village smiles as Aimi appears from within the portal. “We were the only ones to understand how Tenki arrived in this world. We gave him the necessary resources to bring you back to us.”

The mayor snaps his finger. With it, the once comforting and inviting village is replaced by a town hidden under a night sky with a red moon. Homes and shops become temples; every villager is now hidden under the cloaks of the Mundus clan.

“Tell us, rift bearer, what is your command?”

“I don’t have a lot of time. I need you teach me more of my magic so I can protect my world.”

“All worlds are yours.”

“Such belief is careless and evil. But I understand that even you will not obey without my cooperation. Come to my world. You abandon others with ease do you not? Then I will welcome you into mine.”

“Your connection to your world is dangerous. The time may come when we must abandon it as well.”

“Then I will master this power and take them all to a new one. Not just the Mundus.”

“That is a false hope, but one we allow you to hold if you return to us. Come Aimi, become part of the Mundus once more.”

Aimi follows the Mundus as they climb the steps of a pyramid. Her legs grow soar from the long walk, the top of the pyramid doesn’t approach a steady pace, a single step transports them to the top after a period of time.

The top of the pyramid houses endless statues of woman with a small sphere floating above their palms. Only one is without a sphere, a statue of a child that holds her hands together.

Towards the end, a new statue is in construction, the resemblance to her undeniable.

“Is that my world?”

At her statue’s palm is also a sphere. Unlike the other grey, stone like spheres, the one above her hand is a perfect replica of Earth.

“It is, the world you have chosen. Of course, some of our rift bearers have more than one, a decision that must be made to protect our kind.”

“Why do you abandon worlds?”

“I’m sorry?”

Aimi approaches her statue, “She looks the happiest with her world at her hand. Do you not have the power to save them?”

“Saving a world is a respectable effort, but all worlds must come to an end. Such is the way of our universe.”

“You’re right, but I believe keeping it alive for as long as possible is an option as well.”

“If that is what you have chosen then we will help you.”

“Ok, but we don’t have much time. How long will training take?”

“Not long at all.” The mayor, now masked as the rest of the Mundus, presses a finger against Aimi’s head.

Aimi is unable to move, her mind no longer in connection to her body as countless memories mix with her own. Memories of rift bearers, of their training, of their sacrifices, and of their wishes for those to come.

The Mundus carry Aimi to the end of the temple where there is a large pool of water. Glistening with magic, each drop a collection from the worlds they have been a part of.

Aimi is placed on her feet by the pool and dressed in the long robes of the Mundus. Purple and white, the robes are etched with powerful magic given to each rift bearer. It is only them that remain without a head covering, the rift bearer has the honor to be seen by the world they travel to.

Aimi returns. Her head no longer light, the power that has coursed through her body since birth no longer foreign. Aimi steps into the pool, she has become the rift bearer.